Transparent plastic container for bank notes

ABSTRACT

A transparent plastic security container for bank notes and letters comprising a base ( 12 ) having a bottom ( 38 ) with one or more upstanding walls ( 40, 42, 44 ) to define an upper aperture ( 15 ); and a sliding top ( 14 ) with a downwardly extending wall means ( 24 ), extension ( 30 ) with slot ( 78 A), and grooves ( 22 ) to facilitate stacking. The base has an open end ( 26 ) which is closed off by the wall means ( 24 ). The base has channels ( 48 ) to provide runners for the sliding top. The bottom ( 38 ) of the base has ridges and grooves ( 46 ) to retain at least one divider ( 52 ) for pressing against the bank notes, letters, etc. The base has a chamber ( 60 A) to receive a key lock element ( 34 ) with a tongue ( 90 ) to engage with the slot ( 78 A), or to receive a seal element ( 36 ) having an aperture for a tamper-evident seal ( 102 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a security container. In particular, the invention relates to a security container which is suitable for bank note counting apparatus. For convenience, the description below will generally refer to a security container for bank note counting apparatus. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to that application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Previously, it has been common to provide a box made of cardboard or similar material for holding bank notes counted by bank note counting apparatus. The prior art container has had many drawbacks. One glaring example is that the cardboard container, when sealed with a lid, can resemble a generic cardboard box and, without unsealing the cardboard container, it is not readily apparent that its contents are valuable. It is possible to inadvertently dispose of such a cardboard container without realising that it contains bank notes.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

There is a need to provide a security container which is capable of greater security than the prior art cardboard box. In particular, it is desirable to provide such a security container which, at least in some embodiments, may be made in transparent material, so that the valuable nature of the contents can be apparent. It is further desirable to provide a security container which, at least in some embodiments, can be sealed using a tamper-evident seal.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to fulfil some or all of these needs or at least to provide useful alternatives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides a security container including:

-   -   a base having at least one wall defining an aperture; and     -   a top for closing off the aperture;         wherein the base has an open end and the top includes means for         closing off the open end.

The security container may be made of any suitable material but preferably is a sturdy plastic material such as polycarbonate. Even more preferably, the security container is made of a transparent plastic material, so that the nature of the contents can be readily seen.

It is within the scope of the invention that the base is made of a different material from the top.

The base is preferably rectangular in cross-section but may take any other suitable shape, especially with a view to the intended use of the security container. For example, a security container used for bank notes may be of a different shape from a security container used for storing sorted mail or playing cards.

In this embodiment, the base is rectangular and surrounded on three sides by upstanding walls. The aperture in this embodiment is defined by the three upstanding walls. The fourth side of the base does not have a wall and in this embodiment provides the open end. Preferably, the open end is on the short side of the rectangle. If desired, the base may have a series of grooves or the like to accept a divider, used to keep contents, such as bank notes or letters, in a closely stacked configuration.

The top for closing off the aperture will normally echo the shape of the aperture, although other configurations are possible. Most relevantly, the top includes means for closing off the open end of the base.

The means for closing off the open end of the base may take any suitable form. In the embodiment where the base is rectangular with three upstanding walls, the top is preferably also rectangular and includes one downwardly extending wall, so that when the top is properly sited on the base, the downwardly extending wall fills in and closes off the open end in the base.

Preferably, the base includes on its external surface ridges or grooves to assist in stacking identical or similar security containers. Preferably, the top also includes grooves or ridges for stacking purposes.

Preferably, the top is adapted to slide onto the base. In this embodiment, the base and the top have cooperating means to assist sliding of the top onto the base and to enhance security of the security container when closed. The cooperating means can take various forms, as will be apparent to one skilled in the art. Preferably, the base includes rail and the top includes a flange which can slide on the rail. An example is illustrated in connection with the drawings, below.

Optionally, a divider is provided for use with the security container of the invention. The divider is preferably a substantially planar piece, adapted to fit into a groove or slot formed on the floor of the base.

While it is preferred that the top is adapted to slide onto the base, it is within the scope of the invention that the top may be connected to the base in another fashion.

It is preferred that the security container of the invention can be closed using a tamper-evident seal. It is a further option that the security container of the invention can be locked using a known lock, such as a pin tumbler lock. (Any suitable lock may be used.) To cater for these options, it is preferred that the top includes means which can cooperate with means on the base to enable locking and/or use of a tamper-evident seal.

It is particularly preferred that the security container of the invention is made in a version which can be readily adapted to either use of a lock or use of a security seal. In this embodiment, the base preferably includes a chamber and the top preferably includes an extension for communicating with the chamber. If the security container of the invention is to be secured with a security seal, it is preferred that the chamber can receive an element which can capture a tamper-evident seal inserted into a slot in the extension to the top. It is preferred that the same chamber can receive a different element, having a keyed lock and a tongue which can extend through a slot in the extension of the top, to enable the top to be locked to the base.

The use of interchangeable elements with the chamber in this embodiment can enable the same security container to be used in either a lock version or a seal version. It can also cater for different types of seals and locks presently known or which may become known in the future.

The security seal is preferably the seal available from Harcor Security Seals Pty Limited under the name HARCLIP. However, as mentioned above, a preferred embodiment of the security container can be adapted to various types of seals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in connection with the attached drawings, which, it is to be understood, are not limiting on the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of a first embodiment of the security container of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from below of the security container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view from above of a lockable version of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view from above of a seal version of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the base of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view from below of the base of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view from above of the top of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view from below of the top of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view from above of the security container of FIG. 3, disassembled;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view from below of the security container of FIG. 3, disassembled;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view from above of the security container of FIG. 4, disassembled; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view from below of the security container of FIG. 4, disassembled.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, security container 10 has a base 12 and a top 14.

Base 12 is reinforced by thick strip 16 and transverse ridges 18, only some of which are labelled. Transverse ridges 18 communicate with longitudinal ridges 20. In this embodiment, these are designed to fit into longitudinal grooves 22 on top 14, to facilitate stacking.

Top 14 has a downwardly extending wall 24 for closing off open end 26 (refer FIG. 5) of base 12. Top 14 also has downwardly extending flanges 28 to assist sliding of top 14 on base 12 and to help prevent unauthorised access to contents of security container 10.

Extension 30 will be described in more detail below in connection with FIG. 8. Flanges 32 will be described in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6.

10 In FIG. 3, security container 10A is shown including a lock element 34. This version is described in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 9 and 10. The FIG. 3 embodiment omits grooves 22.

In FIG. 4, security container 10B is shown including a seal element 36. This is described in more detail in connection with FIGS. 11 and 12 below.

Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, which illustrate base 12, it can be seen that base 12 has a bottom panel 38. Upstanding walls 40, 42 and 44 surround three sides of bottom panel 38, leaving an open end 26, and defining an aperture 15.

Set into bottom panel 38 are a series of short ridges and grooves 46, formed as part of thick strip 16. L-shaped channels 48 include a series of compartments 50. Ridges and grooves 46 and compartments 50 are for insertion and retention of a divider 52, an embodiment of which is shown in FIGS. 9, 11 and 12. Divider 52 is inserted from above base 12 into an appropriate groove in ridges and grooves 46 and into the corresponding opposed compartments 50, to press against bank notes, letters, etc, stacked inside base 12 and to hold them in a closely stacked, upright configuration. More than one divider 52 may be inserted in base 12 for this purpose—for example, to separate bank notes of different denomination or letters intended for different locations.

As can be seen from FIGS. 11 and 12, divider 52 includes tab 54 for insertion into an appropriate groove in ridges and grooves 46. Divider 52 also includes tabs 56 for insertion in the appropriate compartments 50 in channels 48.

Divider 52 is substantially planar, but in this embodiment it includes protruding panels 58 to assist in providing pressure to stacked contents in base 12.

Channels 48 also function to provide runners for sliding top 14 onto base 12.

Wall 44 of base 12 has on its outside chamber 60, which is strengthened in its position on the outside of wall 44 by flanges 32. Chamber 60 in this embodiment has a top opening 64 and a bottom opening 66.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, it can be seen that top 14 includes, on flanges 28, returns 68. These are designed to retain top 14 on base 12 when top 14 has been slidably engaged with base 12.

Ridges 70 provide reinforcement to top panel 72 of top 14.

Flange 74 on wall 24 assists in ensuring that wall 24 closes off open end 26 and prevents unauthorised access to the contents of security container 10.

As can be seen FIG. 8, top panel 72 of top 14 includes extension 76. Extension 30 includes slot 78. Slot 78 can be relatively narrow as shown in FIG. 8. It may be divided in two as shown by 74B in FIG. 11 or it may be more elongated as shown by slot 78A in FIG. 9. Alternately, slot 78 may be designed to be universal so that it can be used for both the lock and seal versions of the security container of the invention.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 9 and 10 where the lock version of the security container 10A is illustrated. As can be seen from these Figures, chamber 60A is substantially the same as chamber 60 in FIG. 6, except that chamber 60A includes cut out 80. Lock element 34 can be inserted in chamber 60A through bottom opening 66 so that lock 82 protrudes through cut out 80. Lock element 34 is adapted for attachment within chamber 60A by screws or other fastening elements inserted through apertures 84 into corresponding apertures 86. Cover plate 88 fits over lock element 34 to prevent unauthorised access to the fastening elements. Cover plate 88 is fixed to lock element 34 by means of screws (not shown) accessible only when unassembled. When the correct key (not shown) is inserted into the keyway (not shown) of lock element 34, tongue 90 is extended into slot 78A of extension 30 or retracted from slot 78A, as appropriate. It will be noted that divider 52 is shown inserted into base 12 in this embodiment.

Turning now to FIGS. 11 and 12, chamber 60B includes cut out 80, the same as that in chamber 60A in FIGS. 9 and 10. In the FIGS. 11 and 12 embodiment, chamber 60B is designed to accept seal element 36, inserted into bottom opening 66. Seal element 36 is attached through fastening elements (not shown) such as screws, rivets, or retaining pins inserted into apertures 92 and apertures 94 and accessible only when unassembled.

Seal element 36 includes aperture 98 which is designed to receive barbed legs 100 of tamper-evident seal 102, the barbs locking beneath shoulders (not shown) of aperture 98 to prevent withdrawal of tamper-evident seal 102.

As can be seen from FIG. 11, top 14 includes extension 30 having slot 78B. In this embodiment, slot 78B is divided by barrier 104 into two secondary slots, each adapted to receive one of barbed legs 100. Barbed legs 100, to seal assembled security container 10, pass into slot 78B and then into aperture 98.

It is to be understood that slot 78B need not include barrier 104, if tamper-evident seal 102 has a single barbed leg instead of two barbed legs 100, or if slot 78B is to be designed to accept a variety of tamper-evident seals.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is industrially applicable in that it offers enhanced security, enables its contents to be seen, and is sealable using a tamper-evident seal. 

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A security container including: a base having at least one wall defining an aperture; and a top for closing off the aperture; wherein the base has an open end and the top includes means for closing off the open end.
 17. The security container of claim 16, which is made of a transparent material.
 18. The security container of claim 16, wherein the base has three walls defining the aperture.
 19. The security container of claim 16, wherein the means for closing off the open end include a downwardly extending wall adapted to in use fill in and close off the open end in the base.
 20. The security container of claim 16, wherein the base includes on its external surface ridges or grooves to assist in stacking identical or similar security containers.
 21. The security container of claim 16, wherein the top includes grooves or ridges for stacking purposes.
 22. The security container of claim 16, wherein the top is adapted to slide onto the base.
 23. The security container of claim 16, which includes a removable divider adapted to fit into the base.
 24. The security container of claim 16, wherein the base includes a rail an the top includes a flange which can slide on the rail.
 25. The security container of claim 16, wherein the top includes means adapted to cooperate with means on the base to enable locking and/or use of a tamper-evident seal.
 26. The security container of claim 25, wherein the means on the base includes a chamber and the means on the top includes an extension for communicating with the chamber.
 27. The security container of claim 26, wherein the chamber is capable of receiving a first element adapted to receive a tamper-evident seal inserted into a slot in the extension to the top.
 28. The security container of claim 26, wherein the chamber is capable of receiving a second element, having a keyed lock an a tongue for extending through a slot in the extension of the top to enable the top to be locked to the base.
 29. The security container of claim 28, wherein the first element is interchangeable with the second element so as to enable the security container to be used in either a lock version or a seal version. 